Circuit controlling device



July 8, 1941.

L.- w. GUIN Err/u. 2,248,271 cr'ncun' CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 40 I: r u 1 O 23 J 20 2/ 2a a 26 65 27 l I zz 2 a ,;i n!

= g ,./5- I LESTER w. GJ N //v BY JOSEPH 1... (3/5 ELL ATTORNEY S,

July 8, 1941.

L. W. GUIN EI'AL 2 8.271

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed Sept 6. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. LESTfi)? w. G-U/N BY JOSEPH L. C/ SELL.

Patented July 8, 1941 CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE Lester W. Guin, Mishawaka,

South Bend, Ind., assignors rent Controller Company,

corporation of Indiana Application September 6, 1940, Serial No. 355,634

Claims.

This invention relates to circuit controlling devices and more particularly to controlling devices for controlling circuits from a central point.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a circuit controlling device in which no eX- ternal control circuits are needed but in which the main power circuit itself operates the controlling device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circuit controlling device operated from the main power circuit in which the possibility of improper operation due to unintentional interruptions in the power circuit is minimized. According to one important feature of the invention the control device will reset itself if it should be improperly or accidentally operated.

The invention is particularly useful in connection with street lighting systems or the like in which it is desired that all of the lamps shall opcrate part of the time, for example from dark to midnight, and thereafter only a portion of the lamps shall operate. With the present invention the desired number of lights can be turned out merely by temporarily interrupting the power circuit and at the same time the possibility of accidentally turning out the lights due to unintended interruptions is minimized.

The various objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a circuit con trolling device embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1; and

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are circuit diagrams showing the circuit in different positions.

Referring first to Figure 3 there is shown one type of a standard street lighting circuit in which the present invention has been incorporated. The circuit includes a master switch H1 controlling a high voltage transformer l2 whose secondary is connected in series with a plurality of low voltage insulating transformers M. A plurality of incandescent lamps I'S are connected respec tively to the secondaries of the insulating transformers M.

The lamps H5 which it is desired shall be energized at all times when the switch I0 is closed are connected directly to the transformers while the others are connected through circuit controlling devices indicated generally at l8. It will be understood that any desired number of lamps may be arranged in a circuit and that any desired and Joseph L. Cissell, to South Bend Cur- South Bend, Ind., a

number of the lamps in the circuit may be equipped with the controlling devices I8.

As shown at the right of Figure 3 the controlling device l8 comprises a switch blade 20 movable between two contacts 2| and 22 and connected to one side of the transformer |4 through a heater 23. The contact 2| is connected through a wire 2 id to a contact 24 and through a solenoid 25 to a, wire 26 leading to the lamp IS. The contact 24 is adapted to be engaged by a switch blade 21 connected by a wire 28 to the blade 20. A second blade 29 movable with but insulated from the blade 21 is connected by a wire 30 to a wire 3| connecting the other side of the transformer to the lamp It. A contact 32 engageable by the blade 29 is connected by a wire 33 to the contact 22. The double switch blades 2'|-29 normally are held in the first position shown in Figure 3 by a spring 34 (Figure 2), but are moved to a second position with blade 21 engaging contact 24 by the solenoid 25 when it is energized.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate one structural arrangement of the parts shown diagrammatically in Figure 3. As shown, the parts are mounted on an insulating panel 35 and may be covered by a suitable cover, not shown. Three contact blocks 36, 31 and 38 are carried by the panel and the power supply lines are connected to the blocks 35 and 31. The lamp I6 is adapted to be connected to the blocks 31 and 38.

From the block 36 a wire 39 leads to one side of the heater 23 which is shown as a flat coil of resistance wire mounted in discs of mica or the like. Adjacent the heater there is mounted a thermostat unit 40 shown as including a stack of annular laminations supporting a snap-action thermostatic disc. Since this unit is of a type in common use and since its detailed construction per se forms no part of the present invention, it is not illustrated in detail. The disc is connected to the switch blade 20 and when cold holds the blade in the position "shown, but when heated by the heater 23 snaps to the left to move the blade 20 into engagement with the contact 22.

The double blade 21-29 is pivoted on a bracket 41 and carries an armature 42 alined with a fixed core 43 around which the coil 25 is mounted. The blade is normally swung to the right as shown by the spring 34 but when the coil 25 is energized it is moved to the left.

When the main switch I!) is closed the circuit will be in the condition shown in Figure 4, energized parts being shown in heavy lines. Since the thermostat 40 is initially cold the blade 20 will be in engagement with contact 2| and a circuit through the lamp I6 will be established from the transformer l4 through wire 39, heater 23, blade 20, contact 2!, wire 2|a, solenoid 25, wire 26, lamp l6, and wire 3| to the transformer. As soon as the coil 25 is energized the double blade 21-29 will be moved to the position shown in Figure 4 to complete a holding circuit in shunt around the switch -2| through wire 28, blade 21 and contact 24.

As soon as the circuits are completed, as described above, the heater 23 is energized and starts to heat the thermostat 40. There will be a time lag after the circuit is completed before suflicient heat is generated to operate the thermostat, and this lag may be made to occupy any desired interval from a few minutes to several hours. Normally it is desirable that the parts be arranged to provide a relatively long lag of an hour or more since during the heating period any temporary interruptions in the power supply will have no effect on the circuit.

When the thermostat 40 becomes sufiiciently heated the disc snaps to the left to move the blade 20 out of engagement with contact 2| and into engagement with contact 22, the parts in this position being shown in Figure 5. At this time the lamp I6 is still energized through the holding circuit from the transformer through wire 39, heater 23, wire 28, blade 21, contact 24, coil 25, wire 26, lamp is, and wire 3| to the transformer. It will be noted that this circuit includes both the heater 23 and the solenoid 25 so that the thermostat will remain heated and the solenoid will continue to be energized to hold the double blade 21-29 in its upper position. This is the position the parts will occupy after the thermostat has been heated and prior to the time when the lamps equipped with controlling devices l8 are to be shut off.

At any desired time when a part of the lamps I8 are to be shut off the main switch Ill may be temporarily opened and closed again. When the switch is opened the solenoid 25 will be de-enerized and the double blade l'!-29 will fall back to its initial position, as shown in Figure 3, under the influence of the spring 34. Since the interruption is only temporary the thermostat 40 will not have time to cool down and the blade 20 will remain in engagement with the contact 22. The circuit will then be in the condition shown in Figure 6, blade 20 engaging contact 22 and blade 29 engaging contact 32. In this condition the circuit through the lamp i6 is interrupted but a circuit through the heater is maintained from t e transformer through wire 39, heater 23. blade 2H. contact 22. wire 33, contact 32, blade 29 and wires 30 and 3| to the transformer. This circuit maintains the heater in heated condition to hold the. blade 20 in engagement with the contact 22. but cuts out the lamp. Since the heater 23 draws a very low current a substantial saving is affected.

when the c cuit is again de-energized for a substantial period of time, as for example when the lights are turned out in the morning, the heater 23 and thermostat 40 will gradually cool down until the blade 20 is moved back to its initial position in engagement with the contact 2!. The circuit is thus returned to its starting position,

as shown in Figure 3, ready for subsequent operation. In the event that unintended operation should occur after due to accidental cuit, one or more the thermostat has been heated interruption of the power cirof the controlling devices [8 in different circuits may be operated. However, upon interruption of the circuit for a substantial period of time, as during the daytime, all of the devices will reset themselves as described above so as to be ready for simultaneous operation the following evening.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail it will be un derstood that this is for purposes of illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric control circuit comprising a device to be energized connected to one side of an electric circuit, a two-position switch connected to the other side of the circuit and normally lying in one position, a circuit energized by the switch when in said one position to connect said device to said other side of the electric circuit, a solenoid in said last named circuit, switch means moved by said solenoid when energized from a first position to a second position to complete a holding circuit through the solenoid in parallel with the circuit through the first named switch, delayed action means in circuit with the first named switch for moving the first named switch from its normal position to a second position, and a circuit including said delayed action means, said first switch in its second position and said switch means in its first position to hold the first switch in its second position.

2. An electric control circuit comprising a device to be energized connected to one side of an electric circuit, a two-position switch connected to the other side of the circuit and normally lying in one position, a circuit energized by the switch when in said one position to connect said device to said other side of the electric circuit, a solenoid in said last named circuit, switch means moved by said solenoid when energized from a first position to a second position to complete a holding circuit through the solenoid in parallel with the circuit through the first named switch, a heater in series with said first switch, a thermostat adjacent the heater and connected to the first switch to move it from its normal position to a heated position, and a circuit including the heater, the first switch in its heated position and the switch means in its first position to energize the heater when the solenoid is de-energized with the first switch in its heated position.

3. An electric control circuit comprising a device to be energized connected to one side of an electric circuit, a two-position switch connected to the other side of the circuit by said switch in its normal position, means in said circuit for establishing a shunt circuit around the switch, delayed action means in said circuit for moving the switch to its second position, and means for establishing a second circuit through the delayed action means and the switch when the circuit is temporarily interrupted with the switch in its second position.

5. An electric circuit controlling device comprisi a two-position switch having a normal position and a second position, a circuit completed by said switch in its normal position, means in said circuit for establishing a shunt circuit around the switch, a heater in series with the switch, a thermostat heated by the heater to move the switch to its second position, and means for establishing a second circuit through the heater and the switch when the first circuit is temporarily interrupted with the switch in its second position.

LESTER W. GUIN. JOSEPH L. CISSELL. 

